


The Tower

by TheHangedMan



Series: Burning Eden [1]
Category: Granblue Fantasy (Video Game)
Genre: Anal Sex, Astral Cast System, Belial gets railed by some Astrals but has a good time, Belial is a Switch, Bondage gear, Cunnilingus, F/M, Jealousy, M/M, Made up Astral Lore for Sexy Reasons Only, Multi, Pre-Rebellion wmtsb, Religious Imagery & Symbolism
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-23
Updated: 2020-04-26
Packaged: 2021-03-01 18:27:43
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 13,454
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23801566
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheHangedMan/pseuds/TheHangedMan
Summary: ‘Oh, behold, despair was so delicate a seed, but once it took root it was impossible to kill. A solitary weed, masquerading as a flower, had grown in heaven’s garden for centuries, unnoticed by its keeper.’Astral society was built like a spiraling tower with a wide base that narrowed as one climbed to its peak. Only, there was no climbing it, those that were born into leadership stayed there, and those who resided at the bottom had their bones mixed into cement that reinforced the foundation when they died. Even someone like Lucilius, who’s research shook the structure of that tower, was no exception.
Relationships: Belial/Lucilius (Granblue Fantasy)
Series: Burning Eden [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1793947
Comments: 13
Kudos: 85





	1. Upright

**Author's Note:**

> No Beta, only post. This is going up in two parts because I need to go to bed. I’ll read this over again in the morning.

For as long as he could remember, Belial had been a stalking shadow in contrast to his radiant twin Lucifer. Lucifer, whose abilities were greater than any of Lucilius’ other creations. Lucifer, whose loyalties were unquestionable. Lucifer, the steward of their creator’s magnificent design.

Lucifer.

How he despised that name.

In comparison, the other Archangels often pitied Belial for his duty as Lucilius’ adjutant. He was Lucifer’s twin, equally as capable in many respects and even more in others. Why wasn’t he by Lucifer’s side doing something more? Questions like that made Belial laugh, they had no idea, absolutely no idea.

Outwardly, he’d admit, the job didn’t seem exciting or noteworthy. It was a lot of paper and administrative work and didn’t come with nearly as flashy a title as Supreme Primarch. Still, never once had he ever been unhappy with the cards he had been dealt. Never once had he wanted to actually be Lucifer. Jealousy didn’t blind him so much that he was unable to see how unsuited he was for such a task. No, he didn’t want to be him, he was far more suited for the work he had been given. 

Besides, what other job but this allowed him to remain by his creator’s side?

Regardless, Belial didn’t think that he’d been made with the intention of standing on his feet for this long. Of course he had the stamina for it, he was Lucifer’s twin, but that didn’t stop the balls of his feet from hurting and his back from aching after a long day. Monthly meetings, such as the one he was at, required him to stand silently at Lucilius’ side for hours at a time watching Lucilius present, and at times defend, his research in front of the Astral’s governing chapter. They tended to drag on and on, really spending time on every little detail really trying to wear each other out.

To the average onlooker, it might have seemed pointless to hold someone like Belial here as the council evaluated his creator. Most times he just stood quietly, rocking back and forth on his heels with his hands behind his back, watching the Astrals in the crowd try their best to feign neutrality. It was no secret how greatly Lucilius was despised among his own people and it was for that very reason that he was here.

Originally, on top of everything else he’d been tasked with, this had been Lucifer’s duty. At first the intention had been to display the full capabilities of his work to the council, to prove that his research was worth their funding, but that had quickly changed. Over time the council had grown dependent on his work and their opinion of him conversely had become more sour. Lucifer’s presence had then become necessary as an intimidation tactic; a visible reminder to the Council of just what Lucilius was capable of. 

That however, had backfired, it brought him to a standstill with the High Council. A Cold War broke out between the two opposing forces and all progress on Lucilius’ research came to a halt. It turned out they mutually needed each other as much as they despised each other. The council’s power rested in their image, they could not allow the reputation of the establishment that ruled over the most powerful race in the sky to be tarnished by the meddling of a single lowly, deviant researcher. 

Belial’s eyes followed Lucilius’ hand as it brushed against the crystalline core of a new angel design he was presenting. The council- no, the entire Astral race needed him, and yet they required a more delicate touch. That was where he came in. 

What the council wanted to see was not a display of raw power, they had already been convinced of Lucilius’ capabilities, but a show of submission. Only someone like him with such a devious and unsavory reputation would do the trick. Lucilius needed something to tarnish his image, to make him look just the right amount of incapable that the council could turn a blind eye to the amount of power someone of low birth had amassed. It was this, along with the council’s ‘faithful’ watchdog Beelzebub, that allowed Lucilius’ primal research to continue. 

They needed their society to feel reassured that those in control, deserved to stay in control by making any other option look unappealing. Besides, at the end of the day, the council got off to the idea of Lucilius being unable to keep his pets on a tight leash. He was certain about that much, he must have experienced some level of intimacy with at least half of them by now, and, the wonderful thing about Astrals was that, most of them weren’t afraid to call someone a whore to their face so long as it was behind locked doors. 

A delighted grin spread across Belial’s face as he picked out the familiar faces of those who’d fucked him from the crowd. His memory was good, he probably could keep individual scores for each of them. The Ambassador for the Phantagrande Skydome was currently far in the lead.

“-while the Virtues are fragile they serve mostly as a security system to roam about the lab. They are able to monitor their surroundings and respond to stimuli.” Belial tuned back into Lucilius’s words as he began to pace, the tips of his boots kicking up the hem of his white robes as he walked the length of the long stage. Cold blue eyes scanned the faces of the chapter, focusing on each of the astral members individually.

“They act as extraneous sensory receptors for the Supreme Primarch; connected to the complex chemical messaging system that was modeled after Quorum Sensing in bacterial populations.” 

Lucilius continued to explain as he made his way back to the center of the platform to where a large blackboard rested, displaying the technicalities of his research. This particular topic was dry and Lucilius’ monotonous voice did not help. Belial could tell by the faces of the crowd that he had lost them hours ago. While dozing off was unheard of for members of such a prestigious organization, he could see the glazed over expressions and stifled yawns. 

In reality, they didn't care much for the details of Lucilius’ work just so long as it did work and wasn’t a blasphemy to their society. These meetings were more of an opportunity to remind Lucilius that he remained under their pious thumbs.

“The vestigial neural pathways that carried out the voluntary and involuntary control of the respiratory system were used as a base for the feedback loop. In trials both systems coexisted with a 97.4% success rate and have since been heavily expanded upon since there was no need for aerobic respiration in the Supreme Primarch’s blue prints. The external receptor sites are located-”

Out of his periphery, Belial saw one of the council members raise his hand to his face before he heard him clear his throat. In the nearly silent meeting hall, it was a grab for attention, a purposeful interruption. Suddenly, the congregation was awake; all eyes turned towards the disturbance.

“-in the subcutaneous layer of the skin.” He finished his train of thought before he paused his pacing and his eyes narrowed with carefully controlled anger. Slowly his cold gaze turned, training itself on the council member who had interrupted him. “Yes?”

“When you say ‘vestigial pathway’ in relation to respiratory function I find myself… what’s the word… puzzled by the need for it. Why is it that you’ve made a manner of creature that does not need to breath?”

The offender rose smoothly to his feet and rich black robes billowed out around him. Ah, the High Councilman’s right hand man, Belial recognized him immediately. His score on Belial’s board was a respectable five, just a little above average. He was good with his hands and his dirty talk didn’t leave much to the imagination, but he really could have used some help in the foreplay category, well… most of the council could.

Lucilius exhaled deeply, closing his eyes. When he opened them again, the silence of the council greeted him, challenging him to defend his work.

“To return to the very beginning of my presentation,” He gritted his teeth, showing little self restraint as impatience slipped into the words. While the purpose of Belial’s presence was to display Lucilius’ submission, the man himself still struggled to keep his sharp tongue at bay.“I explained that it was necessary to make the need for oxygen obsolete in primal beasts not just low priority as it is in the Origin Beasts from which we borrowed the genetic material. Anaerobic cellular respiration is not efficient enough to keep up with energy demands and Oxygen is not present in high enough quantities in the upper atmosphere to make it a viable energy source. A core was designed to harness and store the ambient elemental energy that is plentiful in the skydomes-“

“What need have we to breach the atmosphere?”

The hushed whispers began. Alright, alright, now Belial had a job to be doing. He needed to stop daydreaming and focus his ears on what they said.

[“-does he plan to build a Tower of Babel to meet with god?”]

Lucilius’s eyes narrowed and, beneath the folds of his sleeve, Belial watched his hand curl into a fist. “I was under the impression that the moon dwellers were still a present concern.”

“...and we will deal with them as they breach our domain.” The council man assured him, “You were not tasked to deal with the moon dweller threat, your eyes stray too far away from your purpose. So let me ask again, what reason is there to breach the atmosphere?”

[“I heard he wants to be king. He plans to kill the High Councilman.”]

It was a loaded question, that much was obvious to even the most unassuming listener. But the bullet had not been placed in the correct compartment of the barrel. The council believed so deeply in Lucilius’s self idolatry that no matter how Lucilius answered, they would hear what they wanted to hear. They were blind to the truth of his creator’s intentions.

[“How highly he must think of himself.”]

“Is the pursuit of knowledge not reason enough?” Lucilius’s posture shifted ever so slightly; his shoulders relaxed, his hand fell slack, and his expression turned less hostile. It was these subtle changes, he had come to recognize throughout the years, that dictated Lucilius’s shift in tactic.

[“How does your throne feel in Canaan? How much lower can you sink?”]

His creator was stubborn as a stone and yet he had learned to be flexible when needed.

[“Wear a crown of thorns oh glorious king of the heavens.”]

The Astral Councilman smiled, the tart smell of condescension radiated off of him. “What lies beyond the atmosphere is outside of god’s domain and therefore no concern of ours. Blind pursuit of knowledge beyond what the council deems worthy of exploration is hearsay and a waste of resources. Was the objective not to ‘bring order to the chaos of the Sky Realm’? What rests above is beyond your concern as a researcher.”

[“Know your place Little King.”]

“Understood,” A false smile forced its way onto Lucilius’s lips, “I will make efforts to not… stray outside of my domain.” 

[“He’s really giving up so easily?”]

It was difficult holding back the snicker that rose in Belial’s throat, but he swallowed it and maintained his stiff posture behind the petite Astral. Situations like this almost felt scripted. It was all an act to appease the more righteous souls in the congregation, a little give and a little take just for show. ‘Righteous priest puts the naughty sinner in his place’, Belial could practically imagine a subversive skydweller play by the name that fit the occasion. God, skydwellers really knew how to write dirty fiction in ways that Astrals just couldn’t, but he was getting side tracked.

The point was that they were using each other.

Lucilius would dutifully play the part of the repentant fool and in return the High Council would continue to turn a blind eye to the amount of power they’d allotted him. They had a good thing going, but how long would it last? Even Lucilius’ words, disguised as a confession of wrongdoing, had been carefully chosen and coated in poison. How much longer would Lucilius’s endurance for receiving last? In the very least, Belial wouldn’t have to worry about being scrapped to appease the evershifting whims of the Council; being commanded to get rid of him or Lucifer would definitely be the straw that broke the camel’s back.

[“Put him in his place.”]

“Now, if I may continue my presentation?” 

[“Coward.”]

The Councilman seemed content with mockery he had made of the researcher and nodded back at him before sitting again in his high backed throne. The remainder of the presentation continued with similar interruptions as was common for meetings of this kind. The Astral Council was an ancient order far more concerned with the fine details or underlying intention than the overall picture. For one who tired of verbal fencing, it would have been a punishment of brutal sorts.

As for him, the Primarch of Cunning, he lived and breathed it.

The presentation concluded with the Council’s break for their evening meal, leaving the pair free to excuse themselves with the clamor. Belial raised his arms over his head and stretched, sighing happily when his shoulder gave a pleasant crack. With two full days of presentations behind them, they were finally in the clear to begin their preparations to return to Lumacie. Just one more night in the capital and half a day by ship until he could be back in his own bed for at least a few nights. Preparations on the construction of the second lab were about to start demanding all of his free time so that was his last window of time to relax.

Belial exhaled a long sigh and finally moved to gather up Lucilius’s materials from the stage. The Astral seemed to be preoccupied fidgeting with the Virtue. As he packed away the last few instruments into their respective boxes, he felt a set of eyes on him. It was only after a large shadow had been cast over him that he got to his feet and glanced up. A familiar face met his eyes.

Beelzebub.

The cloaked astral stood over him, standing close; close enough to trample on the illusory construct of personal space, close enough that their disparity in height forced Belial to look up to acknowledge him. 

Ah Bubz, ever the one for dramatics.

“The Highcouncilman will be waiting in his office for you.” Perfectly lined lips filled with glossy black lipstick curled into a sneer.

It only took a moment for Belial to understand the meaning. Ha, insatiable as always. They couldn’t even wait for night to fall anymore.

“What could he possibly want from little ol me I wonder?” Belial pressed a finger to his lips, playing coy. His eyes narrowed mischievously. “What do you think the reason is Bubz?”

The Astral scoffed at him, irritated as always with the amount of familiarity Belial exercised with him. Working Beelzebub up was half the fun of talking to him, he couldn’t help himself. “What he wants with you is none of my concern.” 

He didn’t give Belial another chance to respond. Instead Beelzebub stalked off following the final trickle of exiting council members. That didn’t stop Belial from raising his voice to call after him. “Thank you for passing along the message! Aren’t you just the best little delivery boy Bubz.”

“You behaved yourself this time.” Lucilius muttered under his breath as Belial returned to his side. While his creator’s gaze was clearly directed at the crystal archangel that buzzed in front of him, the comment was meant for him.

“When am I not behaved?” Belial pouted as he lifted the box of materials with ease.

“Most of the time.” Lucilius responded dryly. 

“I was enjoying myself watching you get them all hot and bothered on your own, but if you ever need to tap out I’m more than willing to have my turn with all of them.”

“Return to the lab and then initiate a twenty four hour sleep cycle.” Lucilius commanded the Virtue. The crystalline angel whirled in acknowledgement and then turned to leave ahead of them, floating out the door that the council members had left through. His creator’s attention then dropped from the sentry down to the box that Belial had packed up and he sighed. “Honestly, does the council really expect me to go through the efforts of installing a respiratory system into every manner of creature we’ve produced thus far? What a colossal waste of time in the name of divine restriction.” 

“Mmm… they do love their power play don’t they?” Belial crouched down and lifted the box up into his arms. “Will you be retiring for the night?” His gaze stayed fixed on the Astral’s back.

Lucilius rubbed a delicate gloved hand to his temple, “After that, no. They tire me endlessly, but I will need to make those changes immediately if I’m to continue my research without disrupting the timeline. I still have to finish up the final notes at the lab here and package the Virtues for travel.”

With that, Lucilius began to walk, his robe flaring about him as he went. Behind him, Belial followed. For a Primal like him, missing sleep was no great loss; but the constant stress and sleepless nights were visibly taking their toll on the Astral. He couldn’t remember the last time Lucilius had slept more than an hour at a time, that had to have been before the Tetra Primarchs had been created. 

“I have preparations for you to take care of before we depart for Lumacie tomorrow morning.” Lucilius muttered as they turned down a long open air corridor and passed over a stone bridge. It was only out here that one could really tell how high up they were. The capital’s tower was almost half a mile tall and of course, the council’s meeting room rested right on top. Belial wasn’t sure how all of these wingless creatures could feel comfortable without railings.

It was only once they arrived at the platform elevator that Belial spoke again. “How pressingly do you require my capabilities as your errand boy?”

Lucilius raised an eyebrow as the pair of them stepped onto the platform. “Level two fourty three, guest rooms.” He spoke to the central terminal first and then turned back to Belial. “What? You have something more important to be doing?”

Belial’s tone dropped to a hushed whisper, but didn’t lose the air of amusement that was whistling through him. “I have a feeling a certain council member has more than a few frustrations he’d like to vent. It shouldn’t take too long if we’re on strict time constraints, I’m good at what I do.”

Lucilius’ expression grew dangerous “Was that the message Beelzebub delivered to you?”

It was at that moment that the platform drifted to a halt alerting them that they’d arrived at their destination. Belial smiled and inclined his head forward towards the door. What anger Lucilius must have been holding onto from the meeting boiled dangerously close to it’s breaking point. He stomped forward, stalking down the halls of the guest quarters until they arrived at the room they’d been provided. There was no longer any permanent housing left for Lucilius at the capital. What he once had was abandoned soon after the lab at Lumacie had been completed.

As soon as the door was open and the pair of them inside, Lucilius shut it behind them, closing them both in his borrowed quarters. By the doorway, Belial set down the Astral’s materials before rolling his neck absently. The joint gave a satisfying crack, now if only his back would next.

“Belial.” Lucilius prompted him again, his voice sharp.

The lamp was further into the room, too far away for Belial to reach without appearing to disengage from the conversation and incur Lucilius’ wrath. He peered at his maker through the darkness letting his night vision take its time to adjust. “Isn’t Bubz always so eager to play errand boy for the Highcouncilman? He looks just like a puppy always trailing after him holding up the hem of his robes.”

“Someone as ambitious as him knows when to bow his head to get what he wants. I hold no love for him either, but do not try to incur his fury. He’s the only internal support we have and I’m certain messages like this are only trying his patience.” Lucilius warned.

“Keep your friends close and your enemies closer.” Belial hummed in agreement. “Well isn’t he the underhanded one? Almost puts me to shame.”

“That is all beside the point. The Highcouncilman knows that I don’t like how he allows his ilk to put their hands all over my research material. Yet he continues to abuse his position to sully my work. He is trying my patience.” The words came out in an angry hiss.

“Give the word and I’ll gladly end the arrangement,” Belial gave him a flash of teeth that were more likely than not missed in the darkness. He straightened out his collar and adjusted his jacket, “although, I doubt they’d take it well. I’m a popular choice among the council you know? I get called on every time I’m here. Must be fun defiling the beast that works closest with their number one pain in the ass.”

“No…” A frustrated sigh escaped Lucilius’ lips and he rubbed his temples. “As much as I would enjoy cutting off the supply that feeds the voracious appetites of the ‘pious’, I can’t afford to lose their support just yet, fickle as it may be.”

“Then don’t worry about it, why cut off another steady source of information for the sake of pride. Besides, it’s not like you have to worry about me disappointing them, I’m good at what I do.” Belial tossed him a wink, that again was most likely lost to the poor lighting, and made to open the door again, but Lucilius’s hand was on his, stopping him.

“When you’ve finished with your errands return to the lab immediately. I want no other delays aside from those which you cannot avoid. You still have a report to give me.” Belial felt Lucilius’ hand tighten on his, an indication that there were more words he wished to say but would not. 

“Of course.” He breathed out and the hand disappeared from atop his. 

~

The Highcouncilman’s intentions had been exactly as he had guessed them to be. 

Lucilius and Belial parted ways soon after to take care of their respective duties. The Highcouncilman’s office was located on the top floor a short walk from the meeting chamber. It was an elevator ride back up while Lucilius’ was a ride down. When he arrived at the familiar office, he was greeted at the door by a secretary who escorted him inside. 

Including ‘His Most Piousness’, two other Astral council members waited for him. This was the usual arrangement. As one climbed up the ladder of the Astral cast system, the rules for physical relations became more and more strict. At the very top, it was forbidden, but that never stopped the corrupt from finding their work arounds. The two council members fulfilled the duty of acting as proxies for the Highcouncilman. For them, sexual relations with other astrals was forbidden outside of their scarce need to procreate. Their laws were a little too archaic to account for the existence of primal beasts however, so of course, they read between the lines at Lucilius’ expense. 

Those were the circumstances under which Belial found himself stripped bare from the waist down and bent over the front of the Highcouncilman’s desk with his legs spread wide. While they made all the necessary preparations to ensure that the entire process was sanitary and went smoothly, they tended not to mind getting rough with him. He was built sturdy, he could take it.

Belial was used to receiving in this manner, with the two council members alternating giving while the Highcouncilman watched him squirm on their cocks. It was always this arrangement that they chose. After all, what Astral in their right mind would allow a beast to mount them? The thought filled Belial with a sense of masochistic satisfaction as two slick fingers were forced inside him. He gripped the edge of the desk tighter and bit his lip, turning his face to the side to watch.

While one of the council members stood behind him, working him open hastily, his eyes found the other. He stood a few paces further back, but was approaching quickly with a familiar device in hand. A cock cage, Belial identified it as it was clamped down around him soft length and locked shut with a key. It looked like they were really in a mood after today’s meeting, Lucilius really knew how to get them riled up by just existing.

A third finger was thrust inside of him and his arms were bound behind his back with leather restraints. Two hands slipped around his jaw and a metal muzzle, fashioned in a style that was reserved solely for dogs, was fastened around his face. The straps were tightened painfully around his neck and the back of his head. ‘Lucilius’ mutt’ they called him mockingly. Mmm, he rather liked the pet names they gave him

For someone like Belial, this equipment was far from necessary, usually he could get away without them putting it on him being so well behaved and all, but likely, they wanted this instance to be memorable. 

This particular session was notably longer than most. It was only after round five or six that he was ordered to dress again and sent on his way. Oh the humiliation they must have wanted him to feel for having been kicked to the curb without time to fix his disheveled appearance. The council really was all about the power play. 

Belial staggered over to the closest bathroom and cleaned out the remainder of the cum left in him. He scrubbed his hands and face clean. A cheerful tune popped into his head as he tidied up his clothes and he hummed it to himself on his way out. If he wanted to make good time back to Lucilius he’d need to get moving.


	2. Reversed

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Even sex can be an act of worship.”
> 
> “Is that what this is; worship?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I thought this would be a 2 chapter thing but it turned into 3 oops. Again there is no beta just mistakes galore. Sometimes you just gotta throw something out into the void for that instant burst of serotonin. The last chapter will drop within another day or two.

Even walking sideways, Belial managed to finish the errands in a timely manner. Lucilius had given him a list of tasks to complete ranging from alerting the shipyard to prepare their vessel to picking up a package from the office of imports and returning some books to the library. 

It helped that the layout of the tower was familiar to him, he navigated the tall maze-like structure with ease, traveling from floor to floor without any wrong turns. It was in the very basement of this city he had been born after all, its residents had at least grown used to his frequent presence. While primal beasts still weren’t entirely commonplace, alone, he didn’t receive nearly as many curious looks as he would have alongside Lucilius.

With the vast majority of the tasks finished, he retrieved a final set of orders and delivered them to the shipyard. They were nothing confidential, any delivery boy could have carried them in his place, but Belial was nothing if not attentive to details. He preferred to do these types of things himself.

As always, the head shipwright, a tall broad shouldered Astral woman with brilliant green eyes, came out to meet him. She greeted him with a strong handshake that made his fingers go numb and assured him that his task would be seen to personally. A smaller more slender looking woman trailed behind her meekly, smiling up at Belial shyly as the details of the job were explained in more detail than should have been necessary. He grinned back at her, tossing a wink in with the flash of teeth.

Belial knew the girl and for once the familiarity was not due to the fact that he had slept with her. She was a primal, one of the first shipbuilding beasts to have been implemented in a practical setting. It was because of Lucilius’ work on her model type that caused the ship building business to expand and Astrals to become the leading power in the skies. For that, merchants and ferriers alike were indebted to Lucilius and he was popular among their numbers. 

It was late afternoon by the time he made his way back to the platform elevator and rode it down to the basement where Lucilius’ satellite lab was located. It was a small dark thing, a single room in the far corner of the second underground level. Unlike at the top of the tower, no natural light filtered in, and the only lighting came from lamps set into the walls and atop the desks. 

The Astrals sure loved to display their status in any way possible. Visual metaphors, such as the very structure of this building, were a particular favorite. They placed the most prestigious members of their society closer to heaven at the top of the tower while the rest walked along the ground, always reminded of their place just above the crimson horizon. Lucilius, despite his exceptional abilities, was no royalty and had always resided closer to the base. 

The doors of the elevators opened up before Belial, revealing to him the long corridor that led into the lab. Belial strode down the dim hall making a few right turns before he stopped in front of the familiar door plate. The entryway wasn’t grand like many of the other stone ones that were seen propped open on the higher levels. It was wood and not nearly as decorated, the years had taken their toll on the perishable material. 

It was obvious at a glance that this lab no longer got much use outside of a quick project here or there. Ever since Lucilius’ research had granted him bigger labs and better facilities, there hadn’t really been a need to use such an unsophisticated place. Most of the machinery had been moved or was covered in dust protectors. 

Belial sighed, feeling a trace amount of sentimentality breach his heart as he pushed the door open and entered the room. It was here that he and Lucifer had lived for many years alone alongside their creator. Primals did not age as other manners of living creatures did, but the time he had experienced here was the closest thing he could relate to a childhood. While he and Lucifer had not changed much, aside from amassing more knowledge and experience, Lucilius was a different story. 

Where was he anyway? 

Belial’s crimson eyes scanned over the old furniture and outdated instruments. While there were signs of recent activity, his creator was nowhere to be found among the odd contraptions. The sound of Belial’s shoes clacking against the cold stone floor filled the room as he paced down lab desks and peeked around a large metal tank. 

This place wasn’t that big, where could he be? He hadn’t already finished up here and retired had he? No, he had far too much to do.

Just when Belial was about ready to give up and return to Lucilius’ quarters to continue his search, he spotted a trace of him. In the far back corner of the lab, against the near empty backdrop of the dark stone floor, Lucilius’ crumpled form stood out like a sore thumb. 

It took no more than a few moments before Belial was crouched at his side, searching for his creator among the many layers and folds of the loose white clothing. Had he not been concerned, Belial might have found humor in the situation. How ridiculous it was to lose someone in their own clothes! He did however, find him almost instantly in the pool of fabric, pulling the hood down from over his eyes. 

Lucilius was unconscious, but stirred as Belial lifted him up into his arms and cradled his head against his chest. 

“Mmngnngh…”

“Good morning sleepy head~” Belial purred, maintaining the appearance of calm as he quickly checked over his creator. “Such a compromising position you’re in. It’s a good thing no one with less than pure motives found you like this, they might have taken advantage of the situation. How are you feeling darling?”

“Belial,” Lucilius groaned, squinting up at the primal, “what do you think you’re doing? What’s going on?”

Belia hummed and pressed the back of his hand to Lucilius’ forehead. “Just having a bit of fun. We’re in the central lab, looks like you passed out while I was away. Always pushing yourself so hard Cilius, you know it’s good to keep your limits in mind, don’t want to take on anything too big before you’ve prepared for it properly.”

“Chair.” Came the sudden vague demand, but Belial had no trouble ferreting out the meaning. Carefully, he lifted up the Astral’s small frame and carried him over to a dusty old chair situated next to Lucilius’ second favorite desk, his favorite one had been moved to Lumacie years ago. The moment Lucilius was deposited into it, he slumped backward and leaned his head back sighing loudly. “I feel like shit.”

“In all seriousness, you should rest Cilius.” Belial mused as he glanced over the lab again. It looked like everything that needed to be had been packed up and moved out, Lucilius couldn’t have been on the floor for too long at least. “This many all nighters in a row isn’t good for your complexion.”

“I’ll sleep when I’ve finished.” Lucilius informed him flatly. “I don’t have time to be lazing around like this.”

Belial gave him another look over and sighed. “What do you have left to do? This place looks cleaned out.”

Lucilius’ attention drifted around the room slowly seeing the Belial was indeed correct. Did he really not remember finishing here? “Fine. Just give me a moment, I’m not ready to walk yet.”

Since his creation, Belial had always paid special attention to his creator. As the years passed, Belial’s watchful eye only grew sharper. He had been the first to notice when dark circles began to manifest under his glassy blue eyes and when the youthful glow of his skin had faded to a ghostly pale from lack of sunlight. Lucilius had lost weight over the years, more than what was healthy. The steady hands that had pieced Belial’s core together from scraps of genetic material and darkness now shook with a constant tremor.

Although a sickness it was that plagued him, what he had was an ailment of the soul not of the body. The disease was a subtle parasite that leeched away his strength and robbed his eyes of the idealistic vision that once allowed him to perceive the stars. It was a stubborn, incurable thing; a weed rooted so deeply in his heart that it had become as much a part of him as he was it. And the name the disease went by?

It was despair.

Still, his creator hid his weakness well from prying eyes with the mask of his sharp tongue and stubborn nature. Even for one as attentive as he, Belial wouldn’t have noticed unless he had not constantly been by the Astral’s side. It was a subtle thing, a slow fade that extinguished the music from his heart.

In Belial’s opinion, Lucilius was all the better for its influence. As despair took, it also gave. As it pruned away childish fantasies it also presented him with a new purpose. 

“You never gave me your report from today’s meeting. What were your thoughts?” Lucilius broke the silence abruptly. 

Belial settled himself against the desk beside Lucilius, leaning against the tarnished wooden surface carefully. He was still plenty sore from his activities a few hours prior although he made a powerful effort to conceal that fact. “I thought your performance was dazzling, you had me right at the edge the entire time.”

“Performance?” Lucilius’ mouth moved minutely, his words barely above a whisper. “Do you bother to listen when I bring you to these?” 

A sly smile spread across Belial’s face. “Does my creator feel I’ve grown complacent in my duties?”

“You think that your tongue is sharp but all it does is grate on the nerves. What did you manage to overhear?”

“Delectable gossip mostly.” His creator was in no mood for his teasing, but when was he ever? Regardless, Belial moved on with his report. “Did you know that the ambassador for the Nalhegrande Skydom lost most of her fortune to gambling? The leader of the Phantagrande sect’s relationship with one of his Cabinet members is a little more than strictly professional.” 

Lucilius’ eyelids cracked back open at that and, without moving his head, his eyes slid back to Belial. “Was that information you picked up from the meeting or was that divulged under other circumstances?”

Was that a hint of displeasure Belial sensed? “I find some of the best information tends to be disclosed when my thighs are wrapped around one of their lots’ waists. There’s something about having a pliable body beneath them that makes them far more willing to talk.”

Again, Lucilius closed his eyes, a frown spread across his face. “I don’t care for the way they help themselves to you. You are my creation.” 

“Is that jealousy? Aww, Cilius I’m flattered.” Belial teased.

Lucilius grunted. “Don’t flatter yourself. They could choose any primal as their plaything and they choose my personal Adjutant.”

“Now, now, you’ve got such a lovely face yourself, I’m sure if it wouldn’t dirty their own hands they’d have you beneath them instead of me. With the amount that they talk about you during our sessions, I really must be a stand in.” A shiver of delight traversed Belial’s spine.

“Never entertain that line of thinking again.”

“Cilius I’m serious though, someday they might get bored of playing with me and send one of us primal beasts after you instead. What would be more humiliating than being fucked by an animal?” 

A cold shoulder was all Belial was offered for the thought. Lucilius remained as he was, reclined back in the desk chair with his closed eyes trained on the ceiling. 

Belial clicked his tongue and pushed himself off the desk. “But I wouldn’t worry yourself about what they do to me, it isn’t as if I wouldn’t be spending my free time with other pleasurable company otherwise. Think of this as me being just a little more efficient.”

“Is it that you don’t spend enough time on your duties or that I haven’t given you enough work to preoccupy yourself with? Is that why you misbehave so?”

“I always do a good job with the work you give me.” Belial pouted, “You’re already working me to the bone. I see all of this as more of an outlet to appreciate the body you’ve given me.” Belial slid a hand to rest at his shoulder, running his fingers over the bony protrusions just barely palpable through the layers of Lucilius’ robes. The hand fell away only as he moved to kneel before Lucilius, choosing instead to steady himself on the arms of the chair so he could lean into the space between his creator’s legs. “Even sex can be an act of worship.”

“Is that what this is; worship?”

Even as he knelt here at his creator’s knees, with his head inclined upwards to perceive him, Belial felt his heart clench at the words. Lucilius’ eyes were on him now, staring down at him with a cold neutrality that turned his blood to ice. He alone saw through both the pretty and the ugly words that Belial employed and looked to his very core. In all of his life he’d never denied himself the pleasures of anyone’s company. If he saw something he liked, he took it. But this... this was different. This was something he could not have no matter how badly he wanted it. 

Belial smirked and his hand moved to Lucilius’ knee. “Why don’t you find out? I can give you a taste of my praises first hand.”

“Get off me.” Lucilius snapped, knocking Belial’s hand off. 

It was easy to fake a laugh. “Easy there now, it was a joke.”

“Cease these games and give me the rest of your report. I tire of your tangents.”

“This was your tangent!” 

Lucilius glanced at him for a moment and then looked back away. “Report.”

A loud dramatic sigh left Belial’s lips and he shook his head. “Ooookay Cilius if you say so. Although the council’s crowd seems to continue to eat up your little displays of submission, their talk of you grows more and more ruthless with every passing month. Funny how as your research continues to succeed your popularity plummets Cilius.” Belial began, his eyes locked on his creator. “There was some talk towards the end of assigning you a second watchdog on top of Bubs.”

“Have they not more pressing duties to attend to than spending their time watching my every move? Was there anything more of substance to their idle chatter?”

“They have a new name for you which I’m certain you’ll love. They call you ‘Little King’. The newest rumor is that you’re planning to build a path to the Heavens to live among the creator gods.” Belial flourished his hands dramatically for effect.

“Oh, do they now?” A small smile escaped from Lucilius’ lips as he moved a hand to rest in Belial’s hair. He scratched at the Primals scalp before winding his shaking fingers through the locks and tightening his hold on them painfully. “For a moment, let’s entertain that blasphemous train of thought.”

Belial choked back the satisfied moan that threatened to escape his throat and ruin the moment. Even he knew how to hold himself back sometimes.“Let’s.” He agreed weakly. 

“What if the purpose of my experiments were to build god in my own visage and then set myself up atop a throne in the heavens? Do they really see God striking me down? Where is this fabled creator god when his creation crowns itself king and spits upon him? Would God choose that moment to reveal himself to me so that his wrath may find me?” 

Lucilius stared at him, but his eyes did not see him. He looked through Belial as if he were a pool of water and within him the true object of Lucilius’ desires rested.

“Would that be what it takes for him to turn his gaze towards me I wonder? At one time I prayed both night and day for the creator to reveal to me his will. I devoted myself, body and soul, and yet never did I receive my answer. Done with prayer, I moved to pursue him in other ways, to touch his heart with my creations instead of words. Still, I received no answer.”

“Millennia I wasted, trying to deduce the reason that I had been created so set apart from others. I continued in my chase until I had no more time to waste on such folly. God had forsaken us all long ago. We were all alone, I was just the only one to realize it.”

“They reach and yet, as usual, they fall short of the mark.” A dejected expression crowned him. “Why would I climb to the heavens to meet God when all that I would find there is an empty throne?”

Oh, behold, despair was so delicate a seed, but once it took root it was impossible to kill. A solitary weed, masquerading as a flower, had grown in heaven’s garden for centuries, unnoticed by the gardener.

Suddenly, his focus shifted, he saw the beast who knelt before him. “Belial, you who basks in debauchery and the empty worship of the physical, where do your true loyalties lie? You know my true intentions to cast the heavens down unto the earth, is that not the destruction of all that is worldly?”

“My loyalty rests with you. Always with you.” Belial’s eyes closed and he nuzzled back into the rough grip. 

It fell slack, away from him, and Lucilius blew out a disbelieving puff of air. “Where is the sense in that?”

“The beast was created to labor in an unending cycle, to toil in the field for his master's gain. My role, my purpose, given to me by you, is my everything. More than understand your goal, I embrace it. My salvation rests in the desire to be of use to you.”

Lucilius disregarded him and shook his head. “It’s nonsensical. I didn’t make you to be a mindless beast.” Then he grunted and shook his head. “This conversation accomplishes nothing.”

“Mmm if you’re all tuckered out from going at it we should probably head back. Are you feeling steady enough to walk?” Belial implored him, “Of course, I’m always willing to carry you if it’s too much.”

“I’m fine.” Lucilius snapped, pushing himself to his feet. 

~

When the elevator doors opened for the pair of them, Belial immediately recognized the figures who stood on the platform. They were the council members, specifically the two he’d met up with after Lucilius’ presentation. As he hesitated to enter, Lucilius did not. He pushed his way inside, sliding in front of the two with a gracelessness that exhaustion afforded him. When Belial did not join him immediately, he raised an eyebrow impatiently.

“Belial.” His creator warned. “I’m not in the mood for anymore games.”

“Right, coming.”

Of course, Lucilius didn’t know the details of exactly what had happened just an hour or two earlier. If he had, knowing how petty his creator could be at times, he likely would have held the pair of them back and made them wait for another platform. Well there wasn’t any point in making a scene. It wasn’t as if he himself minded.

Quickly, Belial stepped into the elevator after him, standing beside Lucilius dutifully. Lucilius spoke the guest room location again, the doors closed, and the platform began to move. Immediately the taller of the two Astral councilmen spoke. 

“Still standing up straight, beast?” The words curled in the air around him.

Ah, so he was going to come to regret this wasn’t he? Just what he needed, Lucilius in a fouler mood.

He hummed in acknowledgement of the words, folding his hands behind his back carefully. “I’ve a lot of experience in that area. It takes a lot to put a beast like me out of commission.” Lucilius’ eyes burned into him the moment the pieces clicked into place. “My creator built me pretty sturdy.”

“I’m sure we have some friends who’d be willing to test the limits of that statement.” The other astral chimed in.

Lucilius grunted in disapproval. “I would prefer if you didn’t break my research materials for no reason. I already have sufficient data on his limits.”

“Then we’ll settle for a demonstration of those limits.” The second one countered. Belial could feel the tension rising in the air. “Lucilius, surely you have a hidden feature or two you’d like to show us.”

“Now, I’m sure you lot are busy, don’t feel like you have to go out of your way to keep my appetite satiated. I’m pretty voracious.” Belial cut in. This elevator could not move any faster. Just as the thought occurred to him, the platform doors opened revealing the hall of the guest floor. Quickly, he attempted to step forward, but Belial felt a hand on his shoulder stopping him.

“Lucilius, we’re going to borrow your beast. That won’t be a problem right?”

Lucilius stepped out of the elevator in front of him, obscuring his expression, but the anger was clear in his tone. “See to it that he’s returned to my quarters once you’re finished with him.”

~

It wasn’t the top floor they stopped at, but three removed from it. Dutifully Belial walked in between the two of them, following as they led him through winding halls. He mapped out their path carefully, more than likely he’d have to find his way back to the elevator on his own when they were finished with him. He didn’t want to waste unnecessary time getting lost here.

The room they entered was a living quarters far grander than the room where he and Lucilius were staying. The ceilings were tall, inlaid with gold and silver stars, and tall sheer curtains hung from them. Already two other Astrals waited for them, chatting casually while lounging against a comfortable looking sofa. While he didn’t recognize them as council members, he could tell from their clothes and mannerisms that they were the elite. 

Belial was introduced to them only by the charming nickname of beast and then a show was made of stripping him. Although anxiety churned in his gut, he played his part well, strutting around where they directed him, posing as they saw fit. 

It was only now that he began to question what it was they were doing riding an elevator down to the basement. Lucilius would be just fine on his own, Belial attempted to reassure himself, but something still wasn’t sitting right. Had he not been down in the lab with Lucilius, what other foul intentions could they have had in mind?

One of the women among their numbers, a tall slender thing decorated in dark blue robes that complimented her eyes, seemed to be fascinated with the color of his eyes. “Just like Beelzebub’s!” She had exclaimed upon closer examination. Belial smiled at that, thinking about how irritated Beelzebub would be at the comparison between the two, and she caught sight of his teeth.

“Those look dangerous.” She commented to her friend, one of Belial’s frequent ‘customers’.

“Oh don’t worry about that, he’s good about keeping them out of the way when he gets going, isn’t that right beast?” She dragged her long nails under his chin, scratching the skin pleasantly. “He can give you a demonstration if you’d like?”

“He’s been passed around a lot hasn’t he? Shouldn’t I be worried about the beast having a disease or two?” The first woman voiced her worries while flicking a strand of silver hair away from her face.

The second laughed and caught Belial’s hand, dragging him down to kneel in front of her less experienced friend. “Primal beasts can’t carry or transmit diseases, its something to do with their special hearts.”

“Their cores filter out and kill pathogens.” One of the two male council members confirmed as he poured the four of them glasses of wine.

It was in situations like these that Belial knew it was best to play the part of the dumb beast. It was interesting how, despite his title as Primarch of Cunning, these people still let down their guard around him. Lucilius had never proven himself to be incompetent with his creations and yet they blinded themselves to the possibility that Belial could be anything more than a mindless rutting animal. 

“I’ll go first if you’re not convinced,” The second woman piped in, patting her friend on the shoulder. Then, glancing up at one of the men, she flicked her wrist. “Go fetch the lead, I like having something to hold onto. Oh and something to wash him with, he reeks of formaldehyde.”

What? Did he really? Belial turned his head to the side trying to pick out the scent of the preservative on himself. It wasn’t unlikely he supposed, it was a common chemical Lucilius used in his lab to keep the body parts of deceased beasts from spoiling before he was able to perform an autopsy on them. Still, he couldn’t smell it on himself as he often could on Lucilius. Maybe he had grown far too used to the smell.

It was in this manner that he found himself collared and leashed with a set of supple thighs pressed against his ears. Regardless of his desire to get back to his creator’s side, this was work and therefore an opportunity to eavesdrop and rack up some favor with society’s elite. He put himself into the task whole heartedly; licking up into the woman with the flat of his tongue, paying extra care to keep his sharp canines out of the way. 

~

When Belial was released, he was actually a little disappointed with what they had considered to be ‘testing his limits’. He was a little worn out, but he could still walk and therefore he could go a few more rounds. Still he didn’t complain, he had something far more pressing on his mind. 

The door to Lucilius’ quarters was unlocked when Belial initially tried the handle. The slow simmering anxiety that bubbled in the pit of his stomach multiplied tenfold as he drew open the door and hastened himself inside. It wasn’t unlike Lucilius to forget to do small things like this, but considering the circumstances it wasn’t wise. 

Crimson eyes swept over the room, catching on a messy pile of white robes that pooled on Lucilius’ bed. There his creator lay, fully clothed, face down, and snoring peacefully, partially sunken into his soft feather bed. To his credit, it seemed that Lucilius had managed to hold himself together until he made it to the bed, but after that, not so much. 

Relief flooded through him and he allowed himself to sink against a wall for support before turning back to lock the door. At least with Lucilius, he didn’t have to worry about him losing more sleep for his sake. 

With his creator knocked out cold, it was up to Belial to pick up the pieces after him. He pulled off the astrals black boots and stripped him of his robes and under layers before tucking him into the sheets. Although he was a rather heavy sleeper once he got going, anything more would have to wait until after he woke again. As cute Lucilius was when he was all grumpy after being woken up from a nap, Belial was a little too tired to risk it willingly.

It was only after he took care of Lucilius that Belial finally let the tension seep out of his shoulder and his sore body relax again. He removed his shoes and washed himself up in the bathroom before moving to hang both their pristine white uniforms up next to each other. As he did so, he gave each of them a suspicious sniff. Damn it, they both did smell very subtly of chemicals. Tomorrow, first thing in the morning when the shops opened, he would have to get them cleaned before he woke Lucilius. 

The trip back to the lab would take around a day and a half, it would be plenty of time for Lucilius to catch up on some of the sleep he missed. He could sleep as well, Belial supposed, but he almost felt more comfortable doing without. The council was growing more bold in their mockery of Lucilius, who knew how long it would be before it became malicious?

With that decided, he grabbed one of the books Lucilius had requested he loan out from the library and, like a loyal dog, he settled his aching body down at the ground beside Lucilius’s bed. He was extra careful not to rock the mattress as he settled his back against the frame. 

There was a bed set out for him on the other side of the room, but pointedly, he ignored it. Lucilius could bark at him when he woke up, but the truth of the matter was that he had no room to do so. He was the last person with grounds to chastise him for sitting on the floor after he’d taken a nap there.

And so, Belial waited patiently for the sun to set and rise again.


	3. Babel

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Finally Belial exhaled the breath he had been holding, releasing the same oxygen back into the air that he had originally captured. This was permission; the permission he had always dreamed of receiving. The permit to touch that which should have been untouchable, to devour that which was not meant for his consumption. He should not have been worthy to tread on this hallowed earth, but it seemed even the stone heart of his creator knew kindness. He would take it, even if it was cruelty disguised as mercy, even if that which was given would again be taken.

“Belial,” Lucilius’ voice called out to him and he was pulled from the pages of the book with a start. It had been such a good read that he’d lost himself between its pages. The sun must have set long ago for the room had been plunged into darkness and stars twinkled between the gaps in the curtains. Funny how his dark vision was so good that he hadn’t even noticed the unfavorable reading conditions.

Belial inclined his head towards the words, still soft with sleep and impossibly close. As he did so, he came face to face with Lucilius who crouched low on the bed above him, supporting himself on his elbows. He peered down at Belial with a deep look of contemplation that hardened his features.

“The door, is it locked?” Lucilius questioned him ambiguously.

“Of course. I locked it when I came back.”

Lucilius’ eyelids drew a curtain of lashes over pale blue eyes as he stretched out a hand to grasp Belial’s chin. The grip was as strong as it was unexpected and Belial felt his neck crane to accommodate the angle. Their eyes locked and, before Belial could understand what was happening, colorless lips pressed to his own. 

His mind went blank as he stared forward with wide eyes that were unable to process fully the act in which he was a participant. Lucilius stared back, analyzing him with cold neutrality. How long the kiss lasted, for that’s what it was Belial realized, he was unsure. There was a punctuated beginning and a clearly defined end and yet the seconds that stretched out in between had been lost to him. Still, as all things did, it did end. When Lucilius pulled back he did so with little grace or indication and then he sighed, almost disappointedly.

Belial’s jaw practically hit the ground as he gawked back at his creator. He was attentive and intelligent, but for this he had no explanation. 

“I wonder when we astrals became so corrupt? Was it the long millennia of worshiping a creator that didn’t care that led us down this path or was it an inevitability?” Lucilius murmured, running a thumb along Belial’s lower lip. The bedsheets were the only things covering him Belial realized. He had been the one to strip him and yet, he found his eyes drawn to the pale shoulders and chest; to the moonlight that was captured in the silver hair that hung down over his eyes. “To love and to be loved… it’s just a mass of contradictions isn’t it?”

“Cilius?” The place where Lucilius’ clumsy lips had pressed against his still tingled with the memory of their touch. Objectively speaking, it was the worst kiss Belial ever had the pleasure of participating in, but God, it had scalded skin and melted bone. Even now, the way Lucilius touched the pad of his finger to the injured surface, it felt like salt stinging an open sore. 

“Why is it that you allow them to defile you, to touch you where they please?” His expression was ice as he stared down at the primal’s parted lips. “Don’t you despise them for using you?”

“Oh, you’re still going on about that?” Belial forced a smile, masking the inner turmoil that churned in his stomach. His lungs expanded, filling with air he didn’t need. Still, he felt dizzy, like he was suffocating beneath his creator’s delicate touch. “It’s so unlike you to be concerned about my feelings Cilius. When did you become sentimental?” 

“Don’t misconstrue my words, I am not sentimental.” Lucilius chided him, but he did not back down. 

Belial’s mind continued to spin, his eyes following the thumb that had moved lower to casually stroke his chin. “You know, kissing me like that, I might get the wrong idea.”

“That was my intention.” Words that were so straightforward yet so ambiguous they made Belial sit and ponder their meaning for a moment too long. Lucilius frowned, watching Belial think and finally his eyes softened. “Come here, join me.”

This couldn’t be happening, and yet, it very much was happening. Smoothly, with a hand still on Belial’s chin, Lucilius guided him to his feet and then onto the bed. Like a man entranced, he crawled forward dutifully until he crouched on his hands and knees over Lucilius, looking down at his creator from above. With wide eyes, Belial whistled softly.

“You know what I’m requesting of you right?” Lucilius narrowed his eyes. 

During their movements, the loose fitted sheets had shifted. They now did little to cover Lucilius’ naked form. The sight of him disrobed was nothing Belial was unaccustomed to, he was always the one to help Lucilius dress or bathe, but the context was so much different. He looked small and impossibly frail next to Belial’s broad hands. His creator- no, his messiah; if Belial wasn’t careful, he might break him.

An irrational fear clouded over Belial’s heart robbing him of the ability to speak in case it disrupted the spell that had been laid on the both of them. Even in his wildest dreams, he had never imagined Lucilius to ask this of him. Still, speech was a risk he had to take. His messiah demanded an answer. 

“I do.”

“And does that request repulse you? After all that you’ve already done today you must think we Astrals to be insatiable.” Lucilius scoffed bitterly.

“You’re not one of them.” Belial answered him honestly, his hand shaking as it moved up to cup the hand on his face. He leaned into it, nuzzling his cheek against it.

With eyebrows drawn together and parted lips, Lucilius watched him do this. It was clear he was not content with the answer he had been presented, but physically, he didn’t protest Belial’s actions. 

Finally Belial exhaled the breath he had been holding, releasing the same oxygen back into the air that he had originally captured. This was permission; the permission he had always dreamed of receiving. The permit to touch that which should have been untouchable, to devour that which was not meant for his consumption. He should not have been worthy to tread on this hallowed earth, but it seemed even the stone heart of his creator knew kindness. He would take it, even if it was cruelty disguised as mercy, even if that which was given would again be taken. 

“Why do you look at me like that?” Lucilius frowned and his knees shifted against each other. Despite what he asked for, his cock was soft and his heart beat at its usual slow even pace. 

Belial blinked. Ah, he’d forgotten himself and let his emotions slip out. “Cilius, you’ve never been so forward before. What’s come over you?”

Like an indignant child, Lucilius turned his head aside. 

“Are you sure you want this?” In one fluid motion, Belial unbuckled his belt and then the button of his trousers. Without the tension at the waist holding them up, the pants slid down his thighs and he pulled his legs out of them carefully. “Don’t you have any reservations about laying with a beast like me?”

“I created you. I know what manner of monster you are.”

“And knowing that you still want to fuck me?”

Lucilius did not respond immediately. He waited until after Belial had fished a vial of oil out of the back pocket of his pants and held it up for his creator to see. “I don’t want to sheath myself between your legs.”

Of course, of course. Belial had presumed too much, reached too far; there was no way his callous creator desired all that he could offer him. At least there were other ways, comparably less intimate ways in his opinion, that he could make himself useful to Lucilius. “I’m good with my mouth too, don’t worry, there’s no need for you to lower yourself to such a level.” Belial joked, making to return the vial to his pocket, but Lucilius stopped him.

“You misunderstand.” The Astral’s low voice did not waver. “I want you inside me.”

On the surface Belial was calm, he was collected, but inside, he was a mess. A smile split his features, “My my Cilius... a deviant among deviants. Not only partaking in physical pleasure, but spreading your legs for a beast- what would the High Council think?” 

“I don’t care.”

Every permission in the world had been given, and yet, he could not bring himself to dirty his creator with his own hands. Something didn’t feel right. For hundreds of years he had stood by Lucilius’ side, never once had he shown any indication of interest in debauchery such as this. What was different about tonight? 

Lucilius could sense the conflict in him. “You’re hesitating Belial, why?”

The reasons behind why should not have mattered. They hadn’t before when he had been broken, tied up, and punished for the amusement of others. Humiliation that would have ruined anyone else was what he lived for. Freely did he give and take, demanding anything he could get, accepting anything that could be given.

“Feels like there’s gotta be a catch or something with something too good to be true. This just doesn’t seem like something you’d enjoy.”

“If intimacy like this is enough to satisfy you then it should be sufficient for me.”

He wasn’t crazy, Lucilius was acting strangely about this, but he couldn’t risk probing the topic any further. If Belial didn’t go for it soon, Lucilius might slip through his fingers. All he could do was make the most out of the gift that had been given to him.

With his mind made up, Belial reached forward and caught Lucilius’ jaw in one hand, tilting it so he could press their lips back together. He wasn’t surprised when Lucilius did not push back against the kiss with equal fervor. Even when he made no move to struggle against Belial as he leaned his weight into him, forcing him off his elbows and back down against the mattress, Belial did not falter. Lucilius was not shy nor was he a man of inaction, but he wasn’t here to give back. This was an act of worship, one demanded from Belial, and from him, freely given; not a give and take between equals. He would pour into Lucilius gladly, offer him everything that he had and then, whatever remained of him, he would give that too. 

The twin gods had created many wonders; the sky and the stars, the moon and sun, but what laid before him was so much more precious than anything within creation. He whose hands had ignited Belial’s core with life, whose eyes were trained so much higher, whose lips cursed all of creation, now lay bare and vulnerable beneath him. 

Lucilius did not speak, did not even react as Belial broke off the kiss and opened his eyes. A steely, carefully neutral expression met him and remained as Belial’s hands began to explore the Astral’s body. With open palms, he mapped out the planes of his flesh and bone- and he was skin and bone, fragile; fragile beyond belief. So, Belial was gentle as well as thorough, his fingertips practicing a tenderness that he would offer no one else.

By the time he slipped between the Astral’s legs, there wasn’t a part of him he had not touched except one. His outstretched fingers found the sharp jut of Lucilius’ hip, following the carved out path that led towards his creator’s length. Regardless of Lucilius’ outward appearance of disinterest, he was hard and his cock twitched at the contact. Slowly, purposefully, Belial sank down between his legs, dragging his fingertips along the smooth pale skin of Lucilius’ thighs. In his chest, his heart pounded with an excitement unlike anything he’d ever before experienced.

Most sex he’s had up to this point had been loud, and hard, and fast. Most times he received, rarely did he give unless by giving he meant with his mouth. Every once in a while, in between gaps in his work, he was lucky enough to find a skydweller or other primal beast who was willing to lay with him, but otherwise he knew his intended use. It wasn’t that he didn’t enjoy being tied up and used for the pleasure of others, quite the opposite really, there was still much satisfaction to be found in having his status as a beast hung over his head. 

But this, this was something different.

Lucilius’s attention had drifted upwards towards the ceiling. Thin lips formed a hard line and his brow furrowed as Belial’s slicked, oiled fingers pressed to the tight ring of muscle that rested between his thighs. The tendons in Lucilius’ neck tightened as he pushed in, but silence still prevailed over the room. Even as Belial leaned forward and nosed against the base of his creator’s cock, inhaling his scent deeply, all the man did was grind his teeth. In any other situation, with anyone else, having a partner as quiet as this would have been a challenge at best and boring at worst. However here, he could feel nothing but adoration.

He moved to place an open mouthed kiss to the head of the Astral’s cock and the bitter taste of his creator met his tongue, filled his mouth. Belial lapped it up greedily, eager to drink in what should have been forbidden to him. As he did this, his finger curled upward inside him, pressing into the warmth of his walls, stroking against the slick interior. It was only when he managed to fit a second digit inside that Lucilius’ thighs pressed lightly against his head, trembling deliciously around his ears. There was hardly any power behind it, but god, the reaction sent him spiraling to the heavens. 

Encouraged by the small praise, Belial worked the astral open with new found inspiration. If this was what Lucilius was like now, maybe his body could be convinced to react a little more with the right touch.

By the time he deemed Lucilius ready for him, short, sweet pants tumbled out of the other’s lips and a light flush colored the apples of his cheeks. Lucilius’s seed dribbled out of the head of his cock and smeared Belial’s bottom lip. He pressed a final kiss to the tip of it before withdrawing himself completely and turning his attention back to himself.

“You’re quiet.” Belial mused, dragging the band of his underwear off his hips, freeing his hardened cock. 

Lucilius’ eyes darted to it and then back up at him. “There hasn’t been a reason to speak.”

“Are you nervous?”

“Why would I be?” Came the flat response. 

A slick hand found Belial’s length and pulled back the skin around the head of his cock. Belial chuckled and sank back down over Lucilius, lining their hips up. A dark shadow fell over Lucilius; Belial’s broad shoulders blocked the moonlight. 

“First time?” Belial tried.

Lucilius scowled. 

“No need to be shy, let me hear that lovely voice of yours. I want to know how it feels when you take me inside you.” Belial lined up the head of his cock with Lucilius’ slick hole, urging himself to move onward. If it were up to him, if all of this was for him, he would sit here for hours, basking in the sight before him. But this wasn’t for Belial so, after a long steadying breath, he began to sink himself in. 

Predictably, Lucilius did not speak, but he didn’t need to. His body tensed up at the intrusion; his perfect, slender hands fisted into the sheets and his teeth caught his chapped lip. The bony prominences of the Astral’s knees dug into Belial’s sides with uncomfortable force. Long lashes fell like curtains over Lucilius’ lidded eyes and a sharp breath left his lungs.

Belial drank it in, committing the sight to memory. More likely than not, something like this would never happen again; he only had one chance to etch this into his soul. With his still clean hand, Belial cupped Lucilius’ cheek and gazed down at him softly.

“I love you. ”

The astral squinted up at him, straining as he accepted more and more of Belial inside himself. “Love?” Lucilius turned the word over on his perfect lips, tasting it with his tongue before deciding that it was bitter. “Are you even capable of that?”

A happy humm rumbled through Belial’s chest and he ran his fingertips through Lucilius’ silver hair. “Maybe… and maybe not. Mmm, but what does it matter?” As he spoke, he bottomed out. “They’re pretty words aren’t they.”

“When I created you and Lucifer,” A long steady sigh escaped Lucilius as Belial stopped moving and his grip on the sheets loosened enough for him to let go, “I left that aspect blank. If you feel something for me, that was not my intention.”

Taking advantage of the temporary distraction, Belial reached for Lucilius’ hand, taking up the slender thing in his, raising it to his lips. He kissed it gently, allowing his eyes to flutter closed as he basked in the warmth that surrounded him. “So what I feel for you is something I cultivated on my own? How disappointing. I had thought that traversing the whims of my own heart would reveal the desires of yours, but it seems that’s not the case.”

With narrowed eyes, Lucilius watched him carefully. “You are not what I planned for you to be.”

There was no point in letting the ambiguity of the statement bother him. “Put your arms around me.” Belial directed, guiding the hand he held around the back of his neck. Lucilius did as he was instructed, looping both arms around Belial, anchoring them together, drawing the pair of them closer.

Belial lowered himself the rest of the way onto Lucilius so that their chest pressed flush together. Still, he was careful to keep his weight shifted onto his elbows and knees. Maybe he wasn’t heavy enough to crush Lucilius, but he was certain the Astral wouldn’t appreciate it. Still, like this, with just the right amount of Belial’s weight settled down on top of him and the Primal’s cock inside him, he was pliable as a doll. 

Then, he began to move, pulling himself out slowly before pushing back in. Between Lucilius’ legs it was soft and warm. He squeezed around Belial’s length deliciously, drawing him back in every time he tried to retreat. So, with every thrust, he pushed in harder and angled himself deeper. 

Deeper.

Deeper, Belial wanted to go deeper; to press his skin against his creator’s and melt with him until the borders between them blurred and they were one and the same. If he could not find the answers he wanted on his own then what he needed was the ability to peer directly into Lucilius’ heart and see its blackest depths. Only then would he be able to understand fully his deepest desires and fulfill them. Until then, to be joined in this manner was the closest he could get, and for that proximity to his desire at least, he was grateful. For now Belial could be content with his creator, whose gaze was trained so much higher, finding another purpose for him; he, whose name meant worthless. 

While Lucilius was quiet, Belial was far from it. With every snap of his hips and drop of sweat he let his praises be known. He did not lose himself entirely however, he knew what sort of repercussions would await the discovery of the debauched act. So, he kept his voice low and his lips beside his maker’s ear, whispering his gasps and prayers to him alone. 

Lucilius’ nails dug into his back, cutting deeper into his flesh with every new proclamation. While Lucilius did not speak it into words, in his own way maybe, he accepted Belial’s distorted affections; the thing that he called love. His eyes squeezed shut tightly as soft, reverent lips worked against his neck with a tenderness that should have been impossible for two monsters like them.

It was only at the end, when Belial felt himself growing close, when he made to pull out, that Lucilius spoke again. “No.”

Who was he to deny him? So he finished inside him, pouring every ounce of himself in with a final hard thrust and the name of the one he loved tumbling from his lips. When he was done he lay still for a moment, panting, letting the sweat dry and the cold seep in before he made to finish Lucilius off. However he found the Astral’s cock soft and spent, cum splattered over his stomach and his own labored breaths filling the quiet night air. Belial placed a kiss to his brow and pulled out of him, watching as Lucilius clenched around the absence and his seed seeped out. It was gratifying, seeing the mess he’d made. 

With arms unsteady from his own climax, he pushed himself off of the other and rolled over onto his back. The skin stung where Lucilius had scratched it and his hips ached from what he’d put them through, but still, he couldn’t help the giddy grin that spread against his lips. It was almost time for the reality to set in, that he knew, but he would still let himself enjoy this afterglow. Tomorrow, things would return to the way they were. He would try to forget this fever dream so that he didn’t chase after an unreachable fantasy; so that it didn’t tear him to shreds. 

But that, he closed his eyes, that he would deal with tomorrow. 

A minute passed, then two, then three. Their breathing steadied and the night crept in. Slowly, with a charming lack of grace, Lucilius rose to his knees and crawled out of bed. He hobbled wordlessly to the bathroom, inner thighs still slick with Belial’s seed, and closed the door behind himself. 

Belial sighed and rose, cleaning himself off as best he could before changing his clothes. Quickly, efficiently, he stripped the bed of its sheets and cleaned up all traces of what had just happened. The bed covers he replaced with fresh ones from the cabinet and made up the bed. With that finished, he let one rogue forlorn glance slip free in the direction of the closed bathroom door and then climbed into his own bed. It would be better for the longevity of the fantasy if he was not between Lucilius’ sheets when he returned. 

As he drew the bedsheets over himself and settled in, the latch on the bathroom door opened and for a moment, light filtered into the dark room. It was shut off quickly, extinguished by Lucilius. Belial watched him cross the room back to his bed, pausing as he reached it. For a long moment, Lucilius stared at the new clean sheets, contemplating them. Then, he turned away from it and approached Belial in his bed. 

“Move over.” Lucilius demanded, prodding Belial in the side with a knobby knee.

Crimson eyes flew wide with shock, but he still managed to scramble to the side quickly enough to make room for the before he climbed into the sheets. Lucilius settled easily beside him, sinking back into him, drawing Belial’s arm around himself.

“Cilius?” Belial couldn’t keep the disbelief out of his voice.

An irritated huff answered him at first and then he offered the explanation. “You’re warm.”

“Warm…?” Dark eyebrows drew together. What sort of thinly veiled, half assed excuse was that? God, he couldn’t complain. Belial relaxed into the smaller body next to him, rolling over onto his side so that he could press himself against it. Lucilius grunted in confirmation and then spoke no more. A comfortable silence embraced the two of them and the sleep called once again.

Maybe his dream would be over in the morning. Maybe Lucilius’ dream would come to pass come evening. Maybe their pyres were being constructed in the dark of the night, the wooden beams being set even now as they lay in each other’s embrace. Maybe, maybe… There was only one thing that he was certain, about, only one thing he needed to be certain about. Through anything, through everything, he would be by his creator’s side.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ...And it’s done, Animal crossing vc: Wahoo! Thanks for sitting through the entirety of this wild ride. For more regularly scheduled Belial meltdowns, find me on twitter @_Hanged_Man_


End file.
